What is Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1209 about?

This hadith from Jami` at-Tirmidhi (Book of The Book on Business), narrated by An-Numan bin Bashir narrated that the Messenger of Allah (S) said:, states: ""The lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear, and between that are matters that are doubtful (not clear); many of the people do not know whether it is lawful or unlawful. So whoever leaves it to pro…"

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Jami` at-Tirmidhi, which contains 4,053 hadiths across 49 books. It is hadith number 1209 in the Book of The Book on Business.

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Jami` at-Tirmidhi

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Jami` at-Tirmidhi #1209

The Book on Business

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، أَنْبَأَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ مُجَالِدٍ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهُ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ الْحَلاَلُ بَيِّنٌ وَالْحَرَامُ بَيِّنٌ وَبَيْنَ ذَلِكَ أُمُورٌ مُشْتَبِهَاتٌ لاَ يَدْرِي كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ أَمِنَ الْحَلاَلِ هِيَ أَمْ مِنَ الْحَرَامِ فَمَنْ تَرَكَهَا اسْتِبْرَاءً لِدِينِهِ وَعِرْضِهِ فَقَدْ سَلِمَ وَمَنْ وَاقَعَ شَيْئًا مِنْهَا يُوشِكُ أَنْ يُوَاقِعَ الْحَرَامَ كَمَا أَنَّهُ مَنْ يَرْعَى حَوْلَ الْحِمَى يُوشِكُ أَنْ يُوَاقِعَهُ أَلاَ وَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ مَلِكٍ حِمًى أَلاَ وَإِنَّ حِمَى اللَّهِ مَحَارِمُهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

"The lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear, and between that are matters that are doubtful (not clear); many of the people do not know whether it is lawful or unlawful. So whoever leaves it to protect his religion and his honor, then he will be safe, and whoever falls into something from them, then he soon will have fallen into the unlawful. Just like if someone grazes (his animals) around a sanctuary, he would soon wind up in it. Indeed for every king is a sanctuary (pasture), and indeed Allah's sanctuary is what He made unlawful."

Narrated by An-Numan bin Bashir narrated that the Messenger of Allah (S) said:

Context

This hadith outlines the clear distinctions between what is lawful and unlawful, while also addressing the ambiguous matters that many people may struggle to identify. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) advises that avoiding uncertain matters is a means of safeguarding one's faith and honor, emphasizing the importance of ethical conduct in daily life.

Modern Application

In today's complex world, individuals often face situations where the right course of action is unclear. This hadith encourages people to err on the side of caution and avoid questionable practices, promoting a lifestyle that prioritizes ethical decision-making and integrity.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Ethical Conduct because it emphasizes the importance of making informed and ethical choices in life.

Ethical Conduct